Zoological
Wildlife Conservation Center is a tiny, intimate, highly
specialized endangered and delicate species Wildlife Conservation Center. ZWCC has undergone a long evolution, changing with the needs of the delicate and endangered species we keep. In the early 1980's, our focus was on evacuation rescue of primarily sloths from rain-forests being eradicated due to logging and conversion to cash-crop agricultural zones. As the decades passed, we realized that removal and relocation was futile as forest eradication did not stop but only gained momentum, so our focus switched to learning how to keep sloths alive in safe-houses (captivity, both in natural habitats and man-made ones). Our captive husbandry learning efforts have been so successful over the decades that as of 2013 we came to the realization that we are indeed a success and as of 2017 care for four generations. As we face the future, we now realize that it is time to evolve our focus yet again and prepare for the oncoming era by educating other facilities and their staff, affording a learning station for College Interns and, of course, expanding awareness of the general public about the delicate species families of sloths. Zoological
Wildlife Conservation Center & The Sloth Center is
NOT a
for public entertainment "Zoo" and only offers
guests access through a highly limited number of guided educational programs.
90% of ZWCC's animal residents are never seen by non-staff
humans.If you are seeking to
"entertain the kids for a day," or to
wander around and look at animals, we suggest a different type of venue like Portland's Oregon Zoo, Tacoma's Point Defiance Zoo &
Aquarium, Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo and Northwest Trek.The Zoological Wildlife
Conservation Center works hand-in-hand to support the
Sloth Captive Husbandry Center in its passion
for the betterment of sloth populations both in captivity
and in the wild.The Sloth Captive Husbandry Center has made significant advancements in not
only captive husbandry of sloth but also in captive sloth
breeding and veterinary care.With the support of the
Zoological Wildlife Conservation Center and in
conjunction with the Sloth Captive Husbandry Center, The Sloth Center sustains the largest population of
long-term, actively reproducing captive adult sloths in North America and perhaps the world. Immediate history is proving that without focused active involvement by conservationists, the demise of sloths due to habitat annihilation is inevitable. We plead with our guests to take a proactive stance and inform themselves on the rampant status of rain-forest annihilation for agricultural purposes alone, not to forget the many other threats to the forests. Pygmy Sloth numbers were down to 72 animals in 2013 and no one knows how to keep them alive outside of their natural habitat, hence their extinction is imminent.Captive Husbandry Center:
Our primary focus is on the long-term physical, mental and
emotional care of captive wildlife populations.Propagation:Our
secondary focus is on preserving the genetic viability
and sustainability of captive populations of the delicate, rare and endangered species
we keep and how such can be applied to the propagation of all
other species.Education:
We
follow up our primary and secondary focuses with education -
and, in that regard, we are an Education and Conservation Center unlike any
other --- we are at the forefront of making Conservation
Centers an interactive educational experience where students
and guests can seize the opportunity to study and meet wildlife
species up-close and in many cases in person.Pre-Lude to a
Mission Statement:Zoological Wildlife
Conservation Center, the Sloth Captive Husbandry Center, and The Sloth Center combined are a tiny, highly intimate, facility. So when
we sat down to write our "Mission Statement" we looked at
hundreds of examples from our larger, albeit more financially powerful,
brethren and realized one very moving thing, WE PUT THE
ANIMALS FIRST (not human "entertainment"), no exceptions. Period. So the
question begged to be asked "How do you write a "Mission
Statement" that goes in a highly focused direction that is,
at it's core, different than what the masses have put
forth?" Answer: "Buck it up and take the hard road."
Simply put, "stand for what you are passionate about."
So the following is our "Mission Statement"........
albeit forever
in-the-works.Mission Statement: Fact: "Captivity changes
everything." Even a severe attempt at mimicking the
wild inside a non-indigenous, captive environment is nothing
but a mask. That being said, Zoological Wildlife
Conservation Center and the Sloth Captive Husbandry Center are committed to theoretical research, start to
finish. We thrive on intuition, hunches, going with
our gut and intensely listening to the long-term keepers that work directly with the species in their charge. We
are committed to discovering the intricacies of the
species we keep. Trying new things. We strive to
develop ways to apply findings, no matter
how minute, to the captive wildlife species in our care in
an effort to develop advanced husbandry
protocols for the betterment of captive held wildlife.
It is Zoological Wildlife Conservation Center and the
Sloth
Captive Husbandry Center's express mission to
research, develop, test, apply and modify captive husbandry
theories, especially those that venture "outside the box"
and that may seem unconventional and "new fangled" because sloths are anything but conventional.